About

About AFEV

The Air Force Enlisted Village (AFEV) provides life-long support for our residents. Bob Hope Villages 1-5 consist of independent living apartments and Hawthorn House provides an assisted living with memory support option.

Residents here share memories of military life, build lasting friendships, and live comfortably in a community with their pride and independence intact.

In 2000, former President and CEO, CMSAF #9 James C. Binnicker (shown above with Bob Hope at the Village), instituted a philosophy known as “The Mom Rule” to ensure that all residents are treated with respect and dignity. “The Mom Rule” guides all AFEV employees to ask themselves these three questions when working with residents or making decisions about a resident’s care:

Would I do this to my mom?

Would I do this for my mom?

Would my mom approve?

AFEV History

In the late 1960s, a survey conducted by the Air Force Sergeant’s Association determined that more than 50,000 widows of enlisted airmen were living in poverty. To address this issue, a group of active-duty and retired Air Force noncommissioned officers, with the assistance of former Air Force Chief of Staff General John D. Ryan and his wife, created the Air Force Enlisted Widows Home Foundation, which would later become AFEV. The foundation was officially incorporated on January 17, 1968. It’s primary goal and focus was to provide a home for and financial assistance to widows of retired enlisted Air Force members.

AFEV has had support from many notable figures throughout its history, including comedian Bob Hope, retired Col Bob W. Gates, and Mr. Gerald Ford, who was honorary National Chairman of the Bob Hope Village capital campaign. In 1978, Bob Hope performed what would be the first of many benefit shows for the widows foundation. Both he and Bob Gates played a fundamental role in the development of AFEV.

1967 – Preliminary research and concept for Air Force Enlisted Widows Home Foundation